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CRICKET: Downs up and running as Bartlett leads way

Wes Bartlett top-scored for Oxford Downs with 81 to lift them off the bottom of the table

Wes Bartlett hit 81 and James France made 53 as Oxford Downs finally secured their first win of the season in Cherwell League Division 1 at the expense of Great Brickhill.

The home side’s innings was reduced by rain to 40 overs, from which they managed a competitive 209-5 thanks to Michael Baker (97) and Doug Aris (58).

Steve Roberts collected 3-58.

Downs then raced to 215-6 from only 31.4 overs to climb off the foot of the table.

Cumnor captain Sam Jones took 4-26 to send Thame Town tumbling to defeat and lifted his side into mid-table at the halfway point of the league season.

Visitors Cumnor battled their way to a total of 172-4.

Thame were well-placed while Mushtaq (57) and James Crichton (44) were at the crease, but they received little support as the hosts fell four runs short on 168.

All four results were possible in the closing stages of the game between Banbury 2nd and Oxford 2nd before the match ended in a draw.

Oxford were defending a total of 231-8 from their 53 overs, which featured a fine opening stand between Adam Hall (69) and Adam Price (31) and a useful knock in the middle order by Ian Evans (38).

Josh Hill returned figures of 4-57 from his ten overs.

Banbury’s openers looked like winning the match on their own, with Ian Tew hitting 104 and Andrew Sabin 56.

But Alex Davis (4-48) removed Sabin, and with support from Phillip Evans (3-75), left the hosts clinging on at 228-9.

Tiddington slipped back to the bottom after losing at home to runaway leaders Buckingham Town.

The home side were soon in trouble against Wayne Platts, who finished with 4-19 from 11 overs, and it took Chris Goodman’s 32 not out to steer them to 131.

Callum Price (33) got Town’s reply off to a good start, and although Matthew Johnston (3-43) induced a few nerves, the visitors eased to 132-6.

Zaheer Khan captured superb figures of 7-22 for Wolverton Town and so restricted Twyford to 195-9 from their 46 overs.

Ben Elkington (55) and Shahid Mahmood (49) provided more than half the runs.

Kieran Lampard then hit 75 as Town reached 198-5.

Amith Premkumar produced a match-winning innings of 110 to set Abingdon Vale up for a 21-run victory over Division 2 leaders Leighton Buzzard Town.

He was well supported by Vale’s South African skipper, Charles Smook, who added 52 as the hosts reached 249-7 from 51 overs.

Town looked like pulling off an unlikely run chase while Phil Whatmore (88) and Tom Light (83) were together, but the home side’s teenage seamers Jason Cardy (4-73) and Joe Butcher (3-33) combined to send them crashing to 228.

Horspath 2nd were indebted to Jack Biggs (36) and a late flurry from No 10 Ceri Holmes (32no) as they made 180-9 from 41 overs at Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts.

Off-spinner Mark Strong was the pick of the home attack, finishing with 4-59 from 12 overs.

Andy Cummings then removed both Nondies openers without scoring to put Horspath in control, but Jonathan Guthrie (45no) and Aadam Samiullah (34) held out comfortably enough as the hosts closed on 105-6.

Matt Bolton smashed 101 for Bledlow Village, who hit bottom club Cropredy’s bowlers to all parts before declaring on 223-5 from 51 overs.

The home side were never in the hunt after tea, when Ben Moore took 4-22, and they fell away to 103 all out.

Challow & Childrey spent the whole afternoon at Cublington chasing the game before travelling home with three points to show for their efforts.

The home side declared on 202-4 from 37 overs and Greg Jenkins (4-34) as Challow batted out time with few alarms to end on 144-5.

Tom Goffe hit 36, but the visitors could manage only 133-5 from their 35 overs.

Town also struggled to score quickly, making it to 134-6 in the 33rd.

Ian Demain (4-23) dismantled the Banbury 3rd batting line-up to set up a nine-wicket win for Didcot.

Jordan Morrison (3-29) was also in the wickets as the visitors limped to 137 all out.

Openers Henry Brisland (61no) and Simon Pritchard (52) put on 110 to put the result beyond doubt, with victory sealed in the 27th over.

Jonathan Meardon took 6-40 to set up an easy win for Oxford Downs over Bletchley Town.

The visitors were rolled over for 123, with Ian Smith (43) and Sam Newman (30) the only batsmen to get going.

Ben Talbot (3-48) made Downs work for the runs, but Harry Anderson (33no) saw them over the line with five wickets down.

Bletchley were deducted five points for failing to provide a scorer.

Two clubs, who have experienced distinctly mixed fortunes in recent seasons locked horns in Division 3, with Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd having the better of a rain-affected draw with Bicester & North Oxford.

Fifteen overs were lost before the start, so Shipton received 44 to Bicester’s 39.

Put in to bat, Shipton were in trouble on 6-2 before the experienced Paul Hemming (36) and Charlie Miller (40) added 64 to turn the tide.

The introduction of Richard Simpson (3-44) brought the visitors back in the match, but Jamie Nelson (37) and Chris Panter (30) kept the scoreboard ticking until Max Small (4-20) cleaned up the tail.

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